Farmers Weekly Review

I am asked a lot of interesting gardening questions every year, it is actually one of the very favorite parts of my job.

In a world of autoreply, AI (Artificial intelligence) and voice mail loops where you never actually speak to a human being, I am still here and very happy to talk to people about their garden and nature issues. Real people, real contact, real help, that is still Extension in my book.

Don’t get me wrong, I love email and pics from your smartphone where I can actually be virtually in your yard with you, but in all of these connection formats; each year I myth-bust several common questions.

The one myth that stands out most is the “giant mosquito of Wisconsin.” You may have seen this ominous-looking insect that appears to be a mosquito, so big, it is almost the size of the palm of an adult hand.

Not to worry, not a mosquito at all, although in the same family, Diptera, which means two-winged. Crane flies do not bite and pose no danger to humans.

The curious cycle of the crane fly is they spend 95 percent of their lives, up to three years, as larvae that feed on decomposing matter. But as adults, they don’t eat at all, let alone bite anyone. As adults, they only looking for a mate, lay eggs and then die.

We see large numbers of crane flies after heavy rains. There is also a diminutive winter crane fly that we see early in spring (they are already out) but again, no worries of them biting ever. So, no need to spray this beneficial insect.

Another myth, well three myths in one, is about soil testing. First the biggest: Every single social media, website, magazine, and book say to go to your University Extension for soil testing.

That isn’t true. Perhaps a long time ago, there was a box of pH testing paper in offices that could tell you the most basic of information — how sour (acidic) or sweet (alkaline) your soil was, but not complete testing.

Extension can tell you where to get a soil test with reliable results (we do not endorse one company over another). Buying home testing kits off Amazon or from the garden center is not recommended, because who knows how long those kits have been stored and what the conditions were.

Extension recommends using soil testing labs. The cost is around $25 but worth the information.

Myth number two: What does soil testing actually tell you? I recently had a homeowner come in with a sample of brown turf and soil wanting a soil test to tell if their landscaper sprayed the wrong chemical on the turf … last fall.

The homeowner thought it killed their grass. When it comes to soil testing, many people believe soil testing results will tell you everything that has ever chemically been applied to their lawn. Myth.

Soil testing provides you with great information such as how much of the main elements of soil you have or need. Nitrogen (N) (how much you need to add), and how much phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) you already have in your soil.

Other valuable information soil testing tells you is pH. This is an important one, because our Will County area tends to have a higher pH to start with — we are all limestone here. Note that starts with lime. So many gardeners make the mistake of adding lime, as many resources indicate.

But any reliable resource (like a University Extension) tells you, not to apply fertilizers or soil amendments until you get a baseline soil test. Once you add something in, there is no way to remove it. And now you may need to add something to counterbalance a wrong application.

The third myth of soil testing relates to my client with the turf sample. People often assume soil testing reveals any chemical ever applied to it. Another myth.

First, our current day herbicides and pesticides have shorter half-lives than older products did. That is why the instructions explain you need to reapply after a specific amount of time has passed. This is a good thing. Because you may not need another application, and the first dose may have solved the issue.

So, turf/soil sample, testing for chemicals applied months ago would be futile, as they have mostly dissipated. Damage could have been done by an initial misapplication, but the chemical itself is now gone.

Another myth is about poison ivy. Often people this time of year reach out complaining of an itchy rash after working outside in early spring. They say they “know” it isn’t poison ivy because nothing is green yet.

Myth. All parts of poison ivy have urushiol, the oil that gives the reaction. You do have to break the cells open for the oil to be exposed to skin, so the incidence of poison ivy is less in dormancy, but few people recognize mature poison ivy vines.

Poison ivy vines are easily identifiable from other dormant vines. The vine is covered with beard-like hairs all along the vine. Dormant season is a great time to remove poison ivy since the leaves aren’t present, but still take the usual protective wear cautions if you do.

The final myth I want to address isn’t so much an untruth, but a “let the gardener beware.” The internet is full of gardening “advice.” Some people think it will replace the reliable advice professional educational organizations like ours provide … personally, I prefer to think of it as job security.

Are their great garden tips … yes … sometimes. Other times … not so much. Just the other day I heard from John Kiefner about the idea he saw about growing potatoes out of a dollar store style laundry basket. Sound ridiculous? Actually, it works!

But on that same day, I was asked which green peppers are the males and how many lobes do they have on the bottom. This caller saw on the web that they are better for cooking.

Myth. There are no male green peppers. And the lobe number is determined by variety and the weather conditions.

Again, job security. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me.